AL SB78

State agencies authorized to levy and assess fees that are retained for operations or programs may review their fee schedules and request increases, decreases, or elimination of fees.

Fee increases are capped at the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, measured from the end of December in the last year the fee was increased to the end of the month preceding the effective date, rounded down to the nearest dollar.

Agencies may repeat the fee adjustment process every five years using the Consumer Price Index data for the previous five-year period.

Any fee schedule changes must be adopted by rule pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act.

Fee increases are retained by the agency to fund its operations or programs under agency control; the act becomes effective immediately upon passage and gubernatorial approval.